CineVue by Christopher Machell
Olga’s final sequences suggest a hope for the future, but there is an underlying irony to the superficially-peaceful imagery, rendered horribly prophetic in the current moment.
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France, Switzerland, Ukraine · 2021
1h 30m
Director Elie Grappe
Starring Thea Brogli, Nastya Budiashkina, Sabrina Rubtsova, Caterina Barloggio
Genre Drama
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15-year-old Olga, a talented Ukrainian gymnast, lives in exile in Switzerland. While she tries to adjust to life in a new country, the 2013 Euromaidan protests break out in Ukraine. As Olga attempts to enter the European Gymnastics Championship, the sweeping changes in her home country begin to shape her life.
CineVue by Christopher Machell
Olga’s final sequences suggest a hope for the future, but there is an underlying irony to the superficially-peaceful imagery, rendered horribly prophetic in the current moment.
The Irish Times by Donald Clarke
Here is an interesting, beautifully acted if somewhat underpowered drama about the connections between the public and the personal in the life of a Ukrainian gymnast during the Maidan disturbances of 2014.
Screen Daily by Fionnuala Halligan
Budiashkina is a terrific presence, and film is in thrall to her powers. Anyone wondering about the mental crises afflicting young gymnasts – or the potential for abuse in this world - will find Olga a true revelation.
The Guardian by Peter Bradshaw
In its unexpected way, this film speaks to the new agony of banishment now being felt by millions of Ukrainians, and to the profound unease and concern and impotence spreading westward across Europe.
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